Profound Contract
by NausicA
Summary: Few people knew the truth. For the past four years he had studied under the greatest fighter Ryuichiro Kuroda could find. He was armor…he was shield, and whether she wanted him or not, he would fulfill his profound contract.
1. Farewell and Fatality

**Title: **Profound Contract

**Author: **NausicaA

**Disclaimer: **Gokusen, from the character of Shin that Jun Matsumoto plays _exceptionally_ well, to that famous Yakuza teacher we love so much, is not mine…sadly.

**Summary: **Few people knew the truth. For the past four years he had studied under the greatest fighter Ryuichiro Kuroda could find. He was armor…he was shield, and whether she wanted him or not, he would fulfill his profound contract.

**Author's Note: **Wow! I have had this story line in my head soooo long…it's about time I put my two cents out there for other Gokusen lovers. Profound Contract will be based on the live-action drama, after the second season with a dash of manga flavor thrown in. I always wondered, probably like so many of you, what if Shin didn't go to Africa? This will not be an easy journey for our two beloved characters…

Special thanks to **Ayuki **who was kind enough to agree to beta this story and **Yuriko** who helped me hash out the plot idea. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 1—Farewell and Fatality**

Profound is an all-encompassing word when you think about it. It can contain so many different meanings: "Difficult to fathom, extending below the surface, characterized by intensity, feeling, and quality". It was all these things and more that were attached to the unwritten contract between the Kumichou of the Oedo Clan and the young man known as Sawada Shin.

"Kumichou," the voice whispered respectfully, "You have my word. On my life, on my blood, and my honor." Shin bent his head further to the floor.

"She can't know anything about this. You know that means that you won't be able to see her for five years. No phone calls—no contact." Kuroda Ryuichiro spoke back calmly, pulling himself up from his position on the floor. "You know you will have to lie. Can you handle lying to the woman you love—deceiving her?" He punctuated this question slowly, letting it slowly rest upon the shoulders of the young man kneeling in front of him.

Shin looked up and leveled his gaze on the eyes of the older man. "To protect _her_…anything!" His dark eyes were bright with honesty and in them Kuroda could see a steadfast resolve; an acceptance of what was to come, and a capability that surpassed his in terms of youthful intensity. Kuroda considered him carefully. Sawada Shin was thought highly of many in his world, only through the various past dealings with the Oedo Clan. He was a rock; a pillar of strength, but so young…so inexperienced. The silence stretched as both men watched the other.

"I accept", he said at last. "You have proven yourself many times, and are already part of our family. Yet, I understand your desire; and I can see already that you are determined." Kuroda spoke conversationally and with a touch of amusement.

Shin smiled lightly at that. "Very," he quipped, and Kuroda gave a soft huffing laugh as they felt the former amount of tension ease and disappear. The older man turned and walked over to a brown book on the shelf behind him and pulled it out, flipping through the pages until he reached the middle.

"Ah. Here it is—your beginning." He held out what looked to be an old yellowed business card. Shin stood and took it with both hands, bowing slightly at the waist. Holding it reverently, he studied it. He looked up; Kuroda was watching him carefully.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," Shin thanked him. "But there's only an address…no name or phone number."

The older man smiled mysteriously. "That's right. This is the first part of your test. My old friend doesn't own a phone so you'll have to use your own ingenuity to find him. It's a start." He reached out to Shin, resting a hand on his right shoulder. "I believe in you. We all do," He sighed. "Kumiko will be home from school soon, and she will have many questions if she finds you here."

Shin slid the card into his wallet protectively, and gathered his bag. "Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for everything. I probably won't get another opportunity after graduation next week. After that, I won't see any of you for a long while." Shin's eyes were liquid determination as he walked out into the rain

"Good luck," Kuroda whispered into the air as he watched Sawada Shin disappear into the darkness of the night.

* * *

_4 years later…_

_

* * *

_

The sound of the clanging bell broke Kumiko out of the daze she was in, as she tried to focus again on the Buddhist Priest chanting the sutra in front of her. Absentmindedly, she began to fiddle with the edge of her black kimono before noticing Kyou whispering her name at her side.

"Kumiko," he said softly in her ear. "Its time."

Her feet felt unsteady beneath her as she stood, but held out a hand when she noticed Tetsu on her right reaching out toward her. "I'm fine," she said with more assurance than she felt.

Movement filled the room as the rest of the funeral guests offered their own incense sticks to strategically placed pots. Kumiko approached the urn in front of the casket; it was the one reserved for immediate family.

She knew she could get through this as long as she didn't look at the casket placed on the alter in front of her. _"Just keep your eyes down,"_ was the thought that kept a repetition inside her head. Helplessly—almost against her will, she raised her eyes from the urn and locked onto the casket.

Her vision blurred. Feeling the eyes of others on her, from several attending Yakuza bosses, to the worrying eyes of the rest of the Oedo Clan, breaking down was not an option here. A single tear slipped out unbidden as she bowed low. Inwardly, she focused on the knees that were threatening to give any second.

"Grandfather," she began in a low murmur, "Forgive me Grandfather…for not being there; for not protecting you." She straightened, and reached forward to deposit the incense stick. "I promise I will find the truth!" She added fervently, smoothing a neutral expression on her face before turning to the kind eyes of what remained of her family; the absence of Kuroda Ryuichiro keenly felt.

* * *

Kyou held the car door open for her as she climbed into the back seat. It was so good to finally be away from the whispers and chatters that had filled the funeral hall. Strange; she had never seemed to mind it from her students—

"Ojou!" She looked out at Tetsu who was standing on the funeral hall steps.

"Yeah?"

"There's a man here that wants to talk to you," he frowned. "I'm not sure it's a good idea, he seems like a twitchy sort."

Kumiko sighed. Alone time would have to wait. But she was a model of patience—sure. She'd certainly been able to exercise it in the past with her first two classes at Shirokin and Kurogin. The memories alone were enough to lift her spirit from where it had been since she'd heard the news of her Grandfather's death.

Kyou moved to Tetsu's side and she watched as they whispered briefly to each other; their words weren't quite loud enough for her to hear them, and she leaned forward curiously. Just when she was about to hop out of the car, Kyou began to walk back down to where she sat and leaned down, placing his hand on top the open car door.

"Kyou…?" she trailed off at the worried look in his eyes. It took a lot to shake Kyou, and she'd known him since she was a child. It wasn't normal. He looked so…resigned. "Is it someone you know?" She asked tentatively.

He seemed to shake his head as if trying to divest himself of a memory. "Not someone I know personally, but he works for your Grandfather's best friend, Takeda Shuichi."

She started at that. "But—that's who Grandfather was on his way to see when he had the heart attack. He's traveled here?"

"Just his lackey." Kyou mumbled almost resentfully. "Didn't have the decency to come in person like he should have. The Kumichou and he were close for many years. They owned a legitimate tea ceremony school until it went out of business. Your grandfather…he never had the stomach to con people out of their money like some Yakuza out there. But he deserved more respect from Takeda than some lackey from the bottom rung."

She stared at him curiously. "But you think I should see what he has to say anyway." It was a statement. Kyou gave her a look, and nodded once.

It was enough for Kumiko, and she moved out of the car and headed toward the entrance feeling very grateful that the guests had left; it would leave things a little more private. Tetsu was looking down at his shoes when she reached him. "Where is he?" She asked, her voice determined. He looked up and bowed slightly at the waist.

"This way," he walked into the building, Kumiko trailing slightly behind him. They passed the room that had been used for the funeral ceremony, the smell of incense still strong.

"Where's Minoru?"

"Ah—he's gathering the money envelopes that were given to you by the rest of the guests."

"I see," she said quietly; her thoughts wandered as they walked, and the claustrophobia that started to come upon her was both foreign and unwelcome. She was starting to hate this place.

Tetsu looked over his shoulder at her, a concerned look crossing his face. "Ojou...," he began, then trailed off. He stopped walking suddenly and turned to face her. She jolted to a halt, almost running into him. "Tetsu! What the hell—"

"We understand." He spoke simply. It was an odd statement, but she could feel the impact behind it; his meaning. She hesitated a moment, studying his face. He looked tired…and older; new lines edged his eyes. Absentmindedly, she wondered if she looked as bad as he did…or worse. Suddenly, though she knew it would hit the roof later when she was alone in her room with the weight of it all, she felt lighter.

She leaned forward and hugged him. Rare and unguarded. "Thank you," she said, and leaned back giving him small smile. And though it was wane and thin, it was also genuine. She could see she had embarrassed him by the stiff way he was now holding himself, but there wasn't time now to continue this. "_There will be plenty of time later_", she thought ironically. Her leave of absence had kicked in yesterday.

Tetsu cleared his throat, running his finger under the collar of his shirt uncomfortably, and walked a couple yards down the hall, stopping in front of one of the doors. She had the insane urge to laugh at that, but squashed it down quickly. It was business mode now.

"In here?" she motioned to the closed room.

"Yes. And Ojou? Be cautious, I don't have a good feeling about this guy. Kyou trusts him enough with your safety—not that you're not capable," he added quickly after she glared at him, "And it's good enough for me; but just be…careful.

Kumiko softened imperceptibly. "Got it." She said, and opened the door.


	2. Shadows

**Title: **Profound Contract

**Author: **NausicaA

**Disclaimer: **Gokusen, from the character of Shin that Jun Matsumoto plays _exceptionally_ well, to that famous Yakuza teacher we love so much, is not mine…sadly.

**Author's Note: **Hopefully no one was too upset about her grandfather. But trust me, its critical to the plot that this happens, and Shin will be making his appearance in the next chapter…probably.

Special thanks to **Ayuki, **who did the beta work for this chapter and **Yuriko** for the positive encouragement to continue. Everyone needs a gentle nudge now and then, ne? **Thank you also to meep, jugvg, ayakane, and Tree802**. Your reviews took me to my happy place. Also, no worries, this story definitely contains the pairing that's marked. **So no OC/main character pairing.**

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**Chapter 2—Shadows**

The first thing she noticed upon entering the room was that the lights had been turned off. The windows across the room from her still had the shades drawn up, casting a dim fiery-orange glow. The second was the figure standing in front of the middle window. She could see only his outline, as the faint light that streamed in lit him up from behind, obscuring his face in shadows.

Kumiko raised an eyebrow. "Someone has a flair for the dramatic."

A dry chuckle followed. "We all have our skills," he replied and took a step back to lean against the window sill.

"Come now…" he said it lightly, almost teasingly. "I won't bite."

She felt a laugh bubble up inside her throat, and swallowed hard. Laughter felt like the wrong response somehow.

While moving to his side, he turned halfway to meet her. Immediately she was struck by how young he looked; his long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and a mischievous smirk hovered on his lips. But it was his eyes that caught her full attention; eyes of vivid azure, reminding her of summer skies, eyes that were now…laughing at her. Loudly.

"I—I'm Yankumi," she said haltingly.

This time he did laugh. "That's an interesting nickname." She flushed. She couldn't help it. "Now I'll admit I'm very curious to the story behind it, but it'll have to wait for a less…_rushed_ conversation."

There was a slight undertone of urgency in his voice, but none of it was visible in his expression. She felt her stomach twisting nervously and chalked it up to the atmosphere of the room.

He straightened, and his eyes lost a little of the levity.

She decided to speak first, adding a touch of authority to her words. "Since you don't have much time, why don't we start with your name, and why you're here?"

He seemed to take it in stride. "They call me _Kaze_. And no—only the kumichou of the Yoi-gumi knows what my real name is, and I don't give that information up to just anyone; not even the attractive heiress to the Oedo Clan," He perpetuated that last statement with a wink.

"Wind?" She questioned, brows furrowing.

"Why do you think they sent me?" It was a rhetorical question. Not one she'd stoop to answering.

"Why did they?" _Damn._

He gave her a look that said she should know better and she felt herself answering his unspoken statement out loud, suddenly inexplicably annoyed.

"This isn't exactly a normal day for me…as you can see by my clothes," she snapped, "and I would just like to get home. Kyou tells me you're from the Yoi-gumi under Takeda Shuichi's control." This, a little more calmly.

He nodded. "Our base is in the Mie Prefecture. The Kumichou couldn't make it himself, and he wanted very much to come and see his friend off into the afterlife. I've been instructed to relay to you his deepest regrets." He said the last of it formally, and she was surprised when he bowed deeply to her.

She nodded to him once when he straightened. "Thank you," she said softly, "I never met Takeda-san, but when my grandfather spoke of him it was always in a positive light."

Kaze smiled and she could see it travel to his eyes. "It was always likewise with your grandfather." It was said very informally, and she could tell he was pleased with her response. There was a new consideration in his gaze now as he looked at her.

She met it unwaveringly, waiting for him to come to whatever answer he was searching for.

"You've got more sense that I thought you would." He intoned. "I've heard many rumors about the famous heiress to Ryuichiro Kuroda's empire. You are—definitely not what I expected."

Kumiko wasn't sure if she should be offended or consider it a compliment. "Neither are you", she reflected back smartly, making the right side of his lips quirk.

"You need to be very careful in the coming weeks," his face had taken on a hard look and his gaze became more serious. The light azure eyes seemed to take on a deeper ocean blue. Although in the diminished lighting it was hard to tell.

The direction surprised her, and her eyebrows shot up high. "Wait a second…are you threatening me?" disbelief hung on the edge of her voice. "Because—no offense— but I'm not in the mood, and if you _are_—it'll only piss me off; trust me on this!"

He looked at her placidly. "Trust _me._ I'm not the one you need to fear. Not only because you'd seriously outclass me in a fight," she gave an internal grin, "but because I'm not the one who's out to have you killed." Internal grin instantly died.

Minutes might have passed…or seconds. In retrospect, she really wasn't certain.

When his words finally sank in she looked at him warily and opened her mouth, "What are you—,"

"Ask Kyou-san or Wakamatsu-san," he shrugged, "they'll remember the name Takeda Jun. It's not my story to tell." She almost didn't believe that, save for the sheepish and somewhat guilty look in his eyes.

"I'm just here to warn you. Many complicated things happen when a leader dies. There are…_issues._ Especially with heirs; it makes it even more of a hassle since you're a woman."

Kumiko rolled her eyes.

Kaze held up his hands in a placating manner. "Hey, it's true. You're a tough one from what I hear, but you're still female," he looked her up and down once, "and no jersey can hide that."

Kumiko's jaw dropped, quite literally. "Have you been spying on me?"

"Not at all."

She looked at him, unconvinced.

"Let me guess, my mouth says 'no', but my eyes say 'yes'," he chided her, and she'd be dead if she didn't notice the killer dimples that accompanied that.

"Are you always such a flirt?" Kumiko asked him incredulously, her cheeks taking on a reddish hue.

He took a step toward her and leaned in. It took everything she'd learned from her upbringing to not lean away. "Do you always blush so easily?" he returned, eyes sparkling with mischief.

Putting both her hands on his chest, she shoved _hard._

Stumbling back a couple steps, he regained his equilibrium. "You sure are defensive," he noted. She glared at him and he laughed. It was an easy laugh, and she found herself envying that. With time she knew it would get easier, but she still hadn't begun grieving yet; more like she hadn't let herself. She knew that they were all worried, even as they worked through their own pain.

Kaze seemed to notice her preoccupation, and took the opportunity to reach into his back pocket; pulling out a card and handing it to her. "If you notice anything odd, call me," he said. "We're having a couple problems of our own, politically speaking, which is why the kumichou couldn't come himself; it would've been…detrimental to his health. It's why your grandfather was—", he stopped abruptly.

Kumiko eyed him, "This _did_ have to do with his trip to visit Takeda-san then." She stated firmly. "I knew it!"

"It did", he said, "but I don't have the luxury of time right now to explain everything to you fully. Remember…Takeda Jun. It will explain a little, but even that knowledge might not be able to keep you safe. Your life is in danger, and this isn't just a few teenage thugs off the street."

He stepped closer and reached out, tentatively brushing his fingertips against her left cheek. Later, she'd wonder why she didn't just break contact; but reason was overruled at her surprise. "I've heard of your exploits, Yamaguchi Kumiko, and there are those who fear you; but fear is often undermined by the lust for power, and there are a few who would try and take that power from you by any means necessary."

The world suddenly stopped as a mild understanding dawned. "I'm not even sure if I'm taking over…my teacher position at the Ueno University is only on a leave right now…," she trailed off.

He looked at his watch and cursed. "I'm sorry, but I must leave," his tone was apologetic. "I took more time than I should have for a simple message," and looked at her, "It was less of a chore than I thought it would be," he said with bemusement.

"Kaze," Kumiko spoke hesitantly, "Thank you for delivering the respects of Takeda Shuichi..and the warning. I'll be careful," he nodded, reaching his hand up and brushing back the bangs that lay sideways across his forehead.

She bowed once at the waist. By the time she had raised her upper body again, he was gone, leaving her alone in the room with her thoughts, and the shadows.

* * *

The sun was almost below the horizon when she finally stepped outside. Tetsu and Minoru were talking to each other quietly and Kyou was leaning against the car with his arms crossed. They noticed her instantly; she knew they would.

"I don't suppose you saw him leave?" she asked wryly, shaking her head to get the wisps of hair out of her eyes. It was starting to come loose from the pulled back style she'd done this morning.

They looked at one another in surprise. "Ummm…who?" Minoru asked, followed by a cuff on the back of the head from Tetsu, who answered, "We didn't see anyone leave the building, besides you."

"Hmmm", she hummed aloud, considering briefly before pushing aside the curiosity.

Kyou was at her side before she noticed, and her gaze slid sideways to meet his. "Ojou," he said firmly. "What did he want?"

Kumiko glanced between their faces a couple times, Kyou's expectant, Tetsu's concerned, and Minoru—where the hell did he go?

"He's putting the stuff in the car", Kyou spoke impatiently.

Was she that obvious? Looking down she considered what to tell them. A spark of unexpected reluctance surfaced, leaving a floundering thought; Kaze wasn't even sure about what would happen, and being a 'consider later, act now' kind of person, she was used to taking things as they come. What was the point in telling them about the warning when it would only make them worry more?

Quickly—before they thought she was thinking up excuses, she decided on a half-truth. "He wanted to deliver the respects and apologies of his boss for not being able to make the funeral…it was very important that he deliver it to me personally." She added after she saw Kyou narrow his eyes.

Out of all of them, he was the most perceptive. Before, it had always been her Grandfather who could tell her feelings from one look; but now, thinking about that train of thought made her heart ache, and she quickly tuned it out before she could sink too deeply into it.

"That's it?" Kyou asked, tone skeptical.

"Yep!" Kumiko said, and sighed just a little too loudly, "We should probably head home about now."

Tetsu walked over and held the door as she climbed in. Kyou had finally moved to get into the driver's seat, and she hoped two things; that what Kaze seemed concerned about wouldn't surface anytime soon, and that Kyou or anyone from the house wouldn't pick up on the facts she kept from them willingly.

Minoru climbed in beside her as Kyou started the car. "Is Wakamatsu—," she hesitated, suddenly feeling cold.

To her gratitude, Tetsu picked up her sentence. "Wakamatsu called. He said that he just finished at the crematorium," his voice was somber. "They said they'll have the remains ready by tomorrow…there will be some paperwork to fill out."

Feeling unexpectedly tired, she leaned her head against the window as they pulled out of the driveway and closed her eyes. "Thanks Tetsu," she murmured incoherently, before the noise dimmed, and she fell into a light sleep.


	3. First Sighting

**Title: **Profound Contract

**Author: **NausicaA

**Disclaimer: **Gokusen is not mine…save for the characters that I've created solely for this story.

**Author's Note: **Just to clarify, this follows the drama storyline mostly and picks up four years after Shin 'went to Africa'. Kumiko's already been to Kurogin, but since I haven't seen the third season, I've improvised her life since Season 2. Just in case there is any confusion, Shin has not adopted a separate persona…he is still irrevocably himself…just a little more kick-ass. He's coming soon, I promise. Kaze is my own creation and useful to the plot….mostly. Also, I've adopted the Japanese way of ordering names, putting the first name last. So, Takeda is the family name, with Shuichi being the given name, etc.

Special thanks to **Ayuki **who did the beta work for this chapter! **Thank you also to lavlilac, J Luc Pitard, darkladyxion959, and ilovereading567**; as well as everyone who has been waiting so patiently for the third chapter. I'm so glad finals are over!

Happy Reading!

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**Chapter 3—First Sighting**

Kumiko hadn't been carried in someone's arms since she was seven. It was the first day she arrived to live with her Grandfather, Kyou, and Wakamatsu after her parent's death. She'd torn her hand out of Kyou's and thrown herself to the ground sobbing loudly, refusing to go inside. Kyou had been bewildered, never having dealt much with children before. He'd attempted to coax her in with the promise of sweets, but she'd only cried harder, curling herself into a ball. Then she'd heard a voice, compelling and strong.

"Get up Kumiko."

There was no choice but to look, turning her head up to peer into the face of an older man. The lines of his face showed his lengthening years as he gazed down at her.

"You must get up," he repeated firmly.

She obeyed sluggishly and reached up to rub a fist over an eye, still crying softly.

"That's a good girl," he said, "You know who I am, don't you?" She nodded.

He bent over and held out his hand, "Come with me, young one. It'll be alright." Sniffling, she took his outstretched hand as he led her through the door, Kyou following closely behind.

They'd just reached the stairs when she let out a rather large sob, her knees buckling. Strong arms swept her up instantly and carried her the rest of the way up. Cradling her carefully against him, he let Kyou open the door, and moved forward to lay her on the bed.

Curling up tightly, it took only moments before she was asleep. They checked her over once more and after closing the door halfway, quietly made their way downstairs.

"Kumichou...what are we going to do with her?" Kyou whispered and took the sake cup the older man offered him, sipping from it slowly.

"What else can we do? She is Kaiya's child. I failed in my duty as a father to her; I will not also fail my granddaughter," Kuroda said, his mouth tightening at the edges.

Kyou nodded. "I agree that there is no one else to raise her, that's not what I'm worried about," he said hesitantly.

"You can speak freely with me, my friend," Kuroda laid his hand on the younger man's shoulder gently.

"It's a heavy legacy you carry; one that your daughter fled to escape."

Kuroda held his emotions in, allowing nothing to darken his eyes. He knew he needed to let Kyou say his piece.

Pouring them both another cup of sake, Kyou continued, "You've changed much over the past decade…as have I. I'm not the same as I was when I first came here at the young age of fifteen. Time has shown that power has the capability of attracting trouble as much as it can repel it. Kumichou…sooner or later she'll have to make a choice. Will you let her make that choice with her own strength of character?"

Sipping thoughtfully, Kuroda replied without hesitation. "She will have to deal with challenges in either choice she makes, but it will be hers."

"And if he comes back?" Kyou asked, tone grave.

"Takeda Jun is a troubled young man, and I'm just sorry I let his father down in my handling of him," Kuroda sighed deeply, finishing off his sake in one gulp, "if he comes back, it'll only be for one reason."

"That boy hasn't a single honorable bone in his body," Kyou said heatedly, eyes rising to meet those of his Kumichou. A wordless conversation took place as they stared at one another.

Finally Kuroda broke the silence, setting his now empty cup down; he spoke, "It's been a year since he left us. I spoke with Shuichi. He hasn't been contacted by him since, but we've both agreed that he _will _come back. Mostly likely just biding his time; he's a very clever young man."

"Isn't that just a nice way of saying what he really is? Devious is the word I'd use," Kyou turned to look at the staircase. "Should we tell her?"

"One day it will be necessary. For now, we'll let her grow up normally—," he stopped at Kyou's deadpan look and winced. "Alright, we'll let her grow up as normal as she can in an all-men Yakuza influenced household."

Both men let out a hearty chuckle, and turned to pour each other another drink. Unbeknownst to them, a young girl stood at the top of the staircase clutching her pillow as she listened to their conversation.

* * *

Memories battered at her mind as she slept fitfully, even after the car had stopped and she felt long arms pick her up and carry her from the car up to her bedroom. As she curled into herself, she felt a sense of déjà vu of another day similar to this one. Choking softly, she buried her face in the pillow and willed herself to sleep, falling into a half-dreaming, half-remembering slumber. Tossing and turning, she drifted from one memory to another, all about her grandfather, until she woke with a start. Beads of sweat clung to her back and neck. The last dream she'd had was about the conversation she'd listened in on the night she'd come to live in this house. It was all so blurry.

Words swam through her head as she whispered one name into the darkness. "Shin…"

The sound of his name was like a shot of adrenaline, and she found herself instantly alert. She hadn't talked to him in four years. She'd seen him off at the airport with his friends as he ventured into the unknown, to Africa. Had he come back to Japan yet? Was he married? Did he have children? Somehow the last two thoughts left her unsettled instead of content. It must be because he had been one of her best students that she would always cherish. She missed his advice…and yes, even the way he'd situated himself so comfortably into her home life, her haven.

Sitting up in her bed, she pushed back her hair and listened carefully. The house was silent; everyone was most likely all in bed. Embarrassment followed that thought, when she considered how out of it she must have been for one of them to carry her all the way upstairs without waking up completely.

Feeling uncomfortable and sticky, she stood and moved over to the room's circular window, intending to open it and let in the cool night air—and froze. The moon was bright, and lit up her yard with a vibrant glow, including the figure standing at the gateway of the house. Dressed all in black from head to toe, it was impossible to tell if it was a male or female, as it stood, head pointed directly up at her window. She felt a trickle of uneasiness crawl up her spine and felt her body give a slight shiver as she stared at the sinister image the figure made.

Briefly she wondered if she was dreaming again before common sense _and_ years of training kicked in when the figure took a single deliberate step towards the house. Threatening? Yes. Dangerous? She huffed loudly. That remained to be seen.

Spinning on her heels, she tore down the stairs, almost tripping on the kimono she'd fallen asleep in, grabbed a katana from the mantelpiece and rushed out the front door—skidding to a halt. Walking to the middle of the pathway, she stopped halfway to where the figure had been.

It was dark, much darker than normal and she stilled when she realized that whoever was standing at the gate had left. She growled internally and her hand tightened reflexively on the handle of her sword. It wasn't like her to act without thinking. She was impulsive by nature, but not stupid.

The sign that held the characters of her family's name swung back and forth slowly. Prickles teased at the back of her head as she tensed. Someone was watching her.

Hearing a snap behind her, she whirled around. Kyou and Wakamatsu were standing in the doorway, each with their own katana in hand looking at her with a mixture of agitation and worry. She could have spit. This was not the way she wanted them to find out.

"What…," Kyou began punctuating each word roughly, his eyes sparking with annoyance, "are you doing?" Wakamatsu looked around nervously, scanning the surrounding area.

Now she could have lied, could have made up any excuse she thought would do the trick, but looking into both their eyes, all she could feel was overwhelming resignation…and okay, maybe a touch of nerves. She glanced around the yard again, gaze resting on the gate.

"Ojou!" Kyou snapped.

The feeling of being watched never left; even as she blew past them both into the entrance hall, placing her sword carefully back onto the mantelpiece.

"You're keeping something from us," Wakamatsu stated. He turned and shared a look with Kyou, both their eyes unreadable.

Curiosity and a touch of guilt in hers, she walked over and sat down at the table in the adjoining room, pulling her legs underneath herself. A pot of untouched tea rested on the table, two cups beside it. The green liquid inside was still steaming, and she inwardly winced at the thought of being so distracted she didn't even notice them as she ran by.

Glancing at them briefly as they settled on the opposite side of the table, she noticed they were watching her carefully, Kyou especially.

"That makes both of us then," Kumiko said as she grabbed an empty cup and filled it halfway with tea.

Closing her eyes, she sipped it carefully and sighed deeply, letting the warmth of the tea relax her body. When she opened them, Kyou was still looking at her consideringly and Wakamatsu still looked worried. Amusement seeped a little into her soft brown eyes. As emotionally strung out as she was right now, she loved them.

"You left out a couple things, didn't you?" Kyou asked gruffly. She could tell he was frustrated, only because he cared about her, but darn-it-all, so was she!

"At the time, I didn't want to worry you—", she began, when Kyou cut in.

"You didn't want to worry _us_? With your _safety_?" His tone was incredulous.

"It's been a hard week," she stated quietly, looking down at the table before bringing slightly watery eyes up again and continuing. "I know how much you all loved him…both of you knew him before I ever did," she reached up and handed them their tea when she realized they weren't drinking. "I owe you an explanation, though I should have told you right away…probably could have saved myself some confusion as well." She smiled lightly, although it didn't reach her eyes.

"The messenger from the Yoi-gumi." Kyou breathed out.

"Mm, Kaze", she supplied.

Wakamatsu laughed, and both her and Kyou looked at him oddly. He tried to explain and stumbled, "For a messenger…that's…uh…a pretty coincidental name."

Kumiko blinked. "It's not his real name Wakamatsu."

"I know that," he insisted petulantly, and she felt herself smirk into her tea as she took another swallow.

Kyou cleared his throat and moved the teapot to the side after pouring all three of them more. "Kaze then…what else did he tell you?"

"Basically?" She huffed, "Not a whole lot. He was all gibberish and flirting!"

"Flirting?" Kyou's eyebrow twitched.

"Unbelievably. He also mentioned that I should be careful…and that someone might be out to kill me," she said it casually and stared at the inside of her cup. She didn't have to wait long.

Wakamatsu jumped into standing position, "What? Who? We can take em' down!"

Kyou remained sitting and Kumiko looked at him appraisingly. He had his eyes closed, but when he opened them, her own widened at what they saw in there. Worry and anger were the most prevalent, but it was the guilt that surprised her.

"I should have told you about this sooner," he said, his voice was coarse.

"About Takeda Jun?" She asked. The gaze that shot to hers held no small amount of shock.

"Where did you hear that name?" He demanded.

Kumiko shrugged a shoulder, "Kaze said it wasn't his story to tell and to ask either one of you. And here you are, ironically, both of you up at…" she glanced at the clock, "3:36 in the morning. Why?"

Wakamatsu shifted uncomfortably then sat back down. He answered first, "We knew something was going on and were discussing what to do about it when you…" he trailed off, but Kyou picked it up.

"When she flew by like a like a madwoman," and looked at Kumiko. "Ojou, you looked—what were you doing out there?"

She shook her head with disbelief. "No way! You first. Who the hell is Takeda Jun?" Kyou stood up and started to walk away. She blinked before she stood up, about to go after him and drag him back in the room if she had to.

"Kyou!" He turned.

"I'm gonna need some sake for this." She stared at him.

"Sake?" Her face was expressionless before she turned to a cabinet in the corner and brought out a green bottle with white paper wrapping. "That's the best idea I've heard yet today."

They all sat back down at the table again in earlier mimicry of drinking the tea. Kumiko handed them their sake cups before tilting hers all the way back. She gasped and held up the back of her hand to her mouth.

"That's the good stuff," Kyou spoke up, sounding surprised after taking his own swig.

"It's Grandfather's best stash," she replied with a sad smile. Wakamatsu reached out a hand to her shoulder, and looked at Kyou expectantly. Distraction was sometimes all you had.

"I know," he said simply and took a deep breath. "When your mother left to marry your father, your grandfather felt he lost everything. You see, he lost his own wife during their twenties, and Kaiya was all he had. He's a softer man than he used to be. There was a time when he was pushing and training her to be the next Kumichou, and she resisted him every step because she wanted a different life; a different path. She was very much like you, strong-willed and compassionate. When she met your father, your grandfather gave her an ultimatum. She took it…just not the way that Kuroda Ryuichiro expected."

Kumiko broke in, "I know this story Kyou. How is this relevant—?"

"Just listen. Three years later you were born, but you were never told about the years you and your mother were away. A year after Kaiya had eloped with Takeshi, your grandfather's friend, Takeda Shuichi sent his son, Jun, to live with us. At the time he was struggling with another Yakuza group and asked Kuroda to take him in, for safety…for training as well. Jun was nine at the time, and your grandfather always did have a hard time saying 'no' to children…or Takeda-san. Plus, I think he was still hurting from losing his only daughter and wanted a chance at redeeming himself."

Feeling stunned, she tried to absorb everything. Hastily, she held out her empty sake cup toward Wakamatsu who was holding the bottle, eyes still on Kyou. "More." Wakamatsu looked at Kyou hesitantly.

"Ojou…."

"More." And they were pretty sure she meant both of them.

Kyou swirled the clear liquid in his cup and swallowed, "Obviously we don't bring him up much. Those were…_trying_ times." Anyone could tell that wasn't the word he'd wanted to use. "Jun was a precocious child, but even at nine we could see tell-tales in him that worried us. For example," he raised his voice slightly when it looked like she would interrupt again. "For example, we'd often get calls from his school that he manipulated the children into doing things he wanted for him. He also had an unhealthy fondness for others' pain. In summary, at thirteen he was both sadistic and influential. A somewhat troublesome combination. Your grandfather tried to do right with him, raise him like raised you, letting him choose his own path, often offering guidance." He breathed deeply and let it out slowly.

So did she. She crossed her legs and pulled her long dark hair back over her shoulders. "Why didn't my grandfather just send him back to Takeda?"

"He did once; however, Jun came back, saying he'd renounced Shuichi as his father."

"You've got to be kidding."

Kyou kept his face impassive. "Not at all. I don't know what happened between them, but he claimed to be no one's son. I think he was sixteen at the time."

"How long did he live with you?" She inquired curiously.

"Jun left a year before you came to live us, after he turned eighteen. There was an incident. He left after we made it clear that he needed to or we'd make him. He seemed to think he was entitled to take up the position of Kumichou of the Oedo Clan…", he trailed off, eyes going dark.

"And you don't think that's changed recently," she stated honestly.

Kyou leveled his gaze to hers intently. "Kaze mentioned him by name," Kumiko nodded, "If Kaze brought him up, then Shuichi must think he'll try to get to you somehow."

She frowned. "But why?"He looked at her levelly.

"Does it matter? He's unbalanced. Money, power, hurt you, kill you…he's capable of anything." Kyou let a quick snarl escape. "That's it! Wakamatsu?" He called.

"Yes?"

"Find him!"

Kumiko looked between them for a second, confused. "Find who?" She looked at Kyou expectantly, and he had the good grace to look uncomfortable.

She threw her hands up in the air, exasperated, "Someone better tell me soon!"

It was Wakamatsu who finally answered.

"He means…Sawada Shin."


End file.
